Paulinho and Anderson Talisca both missed chances to score for Guangzhou Evergrande on Wednesday night in a 0-0 draw against defending champions Kashima Antlers in the first leg of the AFC Champions League quarter-finals. 

Hot and humid conditions at Guangzhou's Tianhe Stadium hampered both sides, with an entertaining half-hour opening giving way to more measured performances as the game wore on. 

Brazil-born striker Elkeson made his first appearance for Evergrande in the Asian Champions League since returning to the club from Shanghai SIPG.  Elkeson won the continental title with Guangzhou Evergrande twice in 2013 and 2015. 

Yet, his influence was limited against a well-drilled Kashima defense, which gave little away, despite the quality of Evergrande's attack. 

Evergrande's former Benfica winger Anderson Talisca tried his luck from range on several occasions, but ex-Barcelona midfielder and teammate Paulinho was not at his best and Kashima did enough to keep Evergrande at bay.

"Our opponent showed a good performance this evening and they had a clear target and that was not to lose a goal by the way they set up at the start of the game," said Evergrande head coach Fabio Cannavaro.

"We were a little bit slow to pass the ball from back to front."

The teams will play again on September 18, with the winner facing either Shanghai SIPG or Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-finals. This encounter on Tuesday ended in a 2-2 draw.

In the west of the continent, Saudi Arabian duo Al Ittihad and Al Hilal also drew 0-0 in their first-leg encounter in Jeddah on Tuesday.

The two teams will meet again on September 17, with the winner facing either Al Nassr – also from Saudi Arabia – or Qatar's Al Sadd.